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Articles about quality, environmental and safety compliance issues.

SaaS solutions for procurement – article published

In August, I wrote an article, titled Saas for Environmental Compliance in the Purchasing B2B magazine, a Rogers Media publication. In the piece, I tried to layout the rationale for buying software as a service instead of a one-time purchase. Amongst other things, the article explains,

In many companies, general counsel and legal departments are responsible for keeping the company up to date on constant changes to the law. But procurement departments can also take an active role in searching for simple and affordable solutions in this area.

Software as a service (SaaS) and Web 2.0 technology have the power to fundamentally change the way businesses seek solutions for environmental compliance.

Pressure from all sides

Consider the Canadian environmental scene, and the breakneck speed at which it’s heating up. In the past year, Ontario has passed sweeping laws on green energy production, permit requirements, and waste from electronics.

Quebec has pushed through regulations to conserve water and climate change legislation aiming to introduce a cap-and-trade system. British Columbia has clamped down on hazardous waste and is also working towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The federal government has added restrictions to the transportation of dangerous goods, mining practices and banned certain chemicals.

Signaling it’s taking its own existing laws more seriously, Ottawa has also increased fines for environmental degradation and hired 100 new compliance officers to enforce the laws on the books. The green police are on the beat.

Understandably, companies are having a tough time keeping up with these changes. Jurisdiction for the environment is shared between the federal and provincial governments. Because every province has its own industrial profile, each wants to manage its environmental legislative agenda in a manner that won’t sink its local economy.